The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-01-22
THE "OLD SOUTH'S" TRIBUTE TO
UNIVERSALIsM.

UcOIgo II. UOIuOH, tno PASTOR OF Tue Olu
South Church in Boston, preached on
the second Sunday of the year and with
special reference to the annual contri-
button Of that church to the Missionary
Board. The sermon is a notable one.
1t is of peculiar interest, not alone be-
cause it is directed to the point of al
laying dissatisfaction in the Congrega-
tional body with the position of ma
jority of the Board in reference to the
case of Mr.. Hume, who is not returned
to the foreign missionary field on &C
count of belief in future probation,
but also because it directly and explic-
lily repudiates the idea that this form
of Christian hope is in the way of mis-
sionary effort. The Christian Union re-
marks of the sermon: 1T is radical
land fearless. Neither affirming nor de-
"nying the possibility of probation after
death, it affirms in the strongest pos
''sible terms that this opinion has moth
ling to do with foreign missions, that
"the acceptance of it has no effect to
cut the nerve of missions;' that on
''the contrary, the larger the hope the
"larger the spiritual incentive to Chris
titan work"
We turn to the sermon to find the
verihcation of this estimate and are
not disappointed. Mr.. Gordon not
only takes issue, as noted above, with
Prof. Parks doctrine that any extension
of hope for the heather after the pres
ent life 'cuts the nerve of missions. !"
but advances the discussion several i'm
portant points beyond any statement
heretofore made in the orthodox ranks
on this subject. He not only rejects
the idea that a future probation, enter
tanned by orthodox believers, is an OBJ
stacle in the way Of missionary work,
but he goes far beyond this and affirms,
with great distinctness, and a candor
rarely met with in religious discussion,
that the larger hope, even the faith in
universal salvation, is not Inconsistent
with the true missionary spirit; nay
more, that when cherished in Chris
tian heart, it should operate as slim
illus to righteousness and become an
inspiration to all who receive it, max
| ing the believer more anxious for the
salvation of souls, and more willing to
cooperate with Christ in the work of
redemption ! He brands as ''simply
monstrous" the claim that ''unless we,
''(the orthodoxy, believe that the issues
''of this life are decisive for all of their
everlasting destiny, we can not be re-
''lied on for missionary zeal, and then
makes the following emphatic declara-
tiOns:
81 am not Universalist. The Univer-
salist affirms the salvation of all men.
l make no such affirmation. Never
theless, am as certain as I am of my
own existence that we're the salvation of
all men absolutely assured, it would
never cut the nerve of missions in any
mind with a spark of the love of God
III ~. l. AliSnU ~ 1ultuCls
contend that il we could believe in the
salvation of all men, it would add fresh
incentive to the heart of every lover of
righteousness the world over. If it
were certain that God would finally
wipe from his universe every stain of
sin, reclaim every soul, make the
rhythm of his love flow through all
hearts, and cause all the sons of God
to sing at the contamination of all
things, as the morning stars sang to-
gether at the beginning; if it were
certain that He should at last look forth
upon a restored universal order, as He
did in the dawn of creation, and pro-
nounce it altogether fair and good,
every mans zeal whose zeal is for right
eousness would thereby gain immeas-
urably. The ultimate goal would be
so grand as almost to create a soul I'M
der the ribs of death. This consum-
nation is so satisfying to the reason
tnat pleads for unity and harmony in
this whole system of things, to the COLI
science that would fain postulate the
final ascendancy of moral law over the
rational life of the universe, to the af-
lection that would lay siege to hell in
the hope that it might at last fall into
the hands of holiness, to the will that
would carry its sovereign purpose over
the whole circle of being, that if we
could be certain of it, it would add to
the missionary motive incalculable
strength. If could, would be a dog
matte Universalist. / should have so
much more incentive to live for right
eousneSs."
We risk little in saying that the
above paragraph embodies the most re-
markable concession made during the
Andover controversy, if indeed it is
not the most remarkable utteraDce in
regard to Universalism during the pres
ent century. And coming from the
pastor of the Old South Church, it
shows the remarkable progress which
is going on in the religious world,
and fast overcoming the prejudices
and enmities of the past in regard
to the Universalist faith, and also the
new light which is dawning on the
orthodox mind from the principles long
maintained and published by our
church. Over and over again have
Universalists held aloft the principle de-
duced from the spirit of the New Tes-
lament, that the supreme motive of re-
ligion and the basis of all true missi0r-
airy zeal is founded in the Eternal Love,
as that love is revealed in Christ; that
the impulse of activity and devotion in